Newsletter March 9, 2023

What is Behind the Generational Jump in Bisexual Identity?

Daniel A. Cox

Blue, purple, and pink watercolor bisexual flag.

The number of Americans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender is on the rise. A recent Gallup poll found that seven percent of Americans are now LGBT. Over the past 10 years, the number of LGBT Americans has doubled in size. 

But that’s not the most interesting part of Gallup’s report. There is a fascinating generational pattern as well. Young adults express far greater fluidity in their sexual preferences and identities than previous generations. One in five Gen Zers are LGBT. What’s remarkable is how much this increase is driven by the rapid growth of bisexual identity. The vast majority of Gen Z LGBT people are bisexual. This is not true for Baby Boomers—the majority of LGBT Boomers are either gay or lesbian. 


Continue Reading on American Storylines


Survey Reports

Daniel A. Cox, Jae Grace, Avery Shields
April 27, 2026

Strangers Next Door: The Decline of Neighborhood Socializing and the Class Divide in Belonging

Acknowledgment The American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life is grateful to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for its generous support of this research. As Americans spend more of their time online, the neighborhood—once a primary physical location for real-world socialization—is playing less of a central role than ever before. Since

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
November 20, 2025

Individuality and Moral Behavior: A Generational Divide in Moral Judgments and Self-Expression

Younger and older Americans increasingly disagree on the morality of certain behaviors, reflecting deep shifts in views about individuality, self-expression, and the role of community and faith.

Daniel A. Cox
July 2, 2025

America’s Cultural Crossroads: Enduring Discontent, Rising Disconnection, and an Uncertain Future

A new survey from the Survey Center on American Life shows Americans are changing course on major cultural issues—from immigration and gay rights to gender roles and public trust.

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
January 29, 2025

Romantic Recession: How Politics, Pessimism, and Anxiety Shape American Courtship

A new report by the Survey Center on American life finds that safety concerns and declining trust are reshaping modern dating, leaving many singles feeling pessimistic about their prospects. Sharp gender divides in attitudes toward dating apps, trust, and relationships reveal how these challenges are redefining the search for connection.